Chapter 2, Fort Snelling Summary

When Charley gets to Fort Snelling, he tells them that he is eighteen. He is given a few basic rules and a uniform consisting only of a pair of black pants, gray socks and a cheap hat. That is all; he is now a soldier. The food is horrible, and he writes to his mother that the men are very unhappy about the conditions. He also feels that once the initial excitement is over it is mostly boring.

Charley learns how to march and carry a rifle as good as any man. They do not get to shoot too much, as there is a shortage of ammunition. When he does shoot, he is asked to hit a target at four hundred yards, but the rifles are very inaccurate and can seldom even hit a target at fifty years. When...